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The Guardian
26-05-2025
- The Guardian
Security company at Westfield Bondi Junction scrambled to buy stab-resistant vests after attack, inquest told
The head of the company providing security to Westfield Bondi Junction in Sydney scrambled to buy stab-resistant vests after six people were fatally stabbed, including a member of the security team. Joel Cauchi, 40, killed Ashlee Good, 38, Jade Young, 47, Yixuan Cheng, 27, Pikria Darchia, 55, Dawn Singleton, 25, and security guard Faraz Tahir, 30, and injured 10 others at Bondi Junction Westfield on 13 April 2024 before he was shot and killed by police officer Amy Scott. In the final week of the five-week inquest into the deaths, the New South Wales coroner's court also heard that some Glad Group employees had not returned to work after the incident and that the company had traditionally struggled to recruit and retain control room guards. Steve Iloski, the CEO of Glad Group, which provides security personnel to Westfield Bondi Junction and to other Scentre Group shopping centres in NSW, said on Monday he made a number of phone calls to buy 27 stab-proof vests from a number of different suppliers after the incident. Before the attack, the protective vests – which are not required by law – had not been considered for the security guards at Westfield Bondi Junction. 'Bondi was a low-risk centre,' Iloski said. Since the attack, all Glad Group security staff at Scentre Group centres and a number of other sites now wear the vests 'as uniform', he said. He accepted a number of criticisms of the security team response on the day, including that the lack of a control room operator at the time of the incident adversely affected the timeliness of the response. He said Glad Group was behind CR1 – the control room operator whose performance was criticised and whose name cannot be published for legal reasons – and all of the staff on duty that day. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Both CR1 and CR2 – another guard whose name cannot be published – as well as some other guards, had not returned to work since the attack. They are receiving counselling and financial and health support. 'It is important to reflect on the courage of a group of individuals who simply went to work that day,' Iloski said. Speaking about Tahir's murder, Iloski said: 'I can confidently say that his loss and sacrifice have been felt deeply across Glad Group and the entire security industry.' Earlier on Monday, counsel assisting the coroner, Emma Sullivan, said Scott's actions on the day were 'entirely justified and appropriate' and that she 'demonstrated extraordinary courage and situational awareness … in the most stressful of circumstances'. She 'acted with exceptional bravery and skill and saved lives', the court heard. The NSW police senior sergeant William Watt, who oversees non-specialist police training, agreed 'wholeheartedly'. 'Her situational awareness, particularly about risk … is well beyond most police I've ever seen, given the circumstances that confronted her,' he said. The court heard there was a heavy burden on first responders in active armed offender incidents, given the consequences of discharging a firearm. Citing figures from Texas State University's Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training centre, Watt said that in more than 50% of active armed offender incidents, police exchanged gunfire with the offender, and in more than 20%, they suffered casualties. 'So inspector Scott's fear was well justified,' Sullivan said. The police force was upgrading body armour and 'go bags' and giving consideration to new radios for use in noisy environments, Watt said. Witnesses have recalled the Westfield Bondi Junction emergency alarm being extremely loud, hindering communications in the immediate aftermath of the incident. The inquest continues.
Perth Now
26-05-2025
- Perth Now
‘Changed lives': Revelation after Bondi attack
Some security staff still require counselling and haven't been able to return to work at the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre following the 2024 stabbing rampage, an inquest has been told. Joel Cauchi stabbed 16 people and killed Dawn Singleton, Yixuan Cheng, Faraz Ahmed Tahir, Ashlee Good, Jade Young and Pikria Darchia at Westfield Bondi Junction on April 13, 2024, before he was then shot dead by police. A coronial inquest into the attack was told some security staff hadn't been able to return to work at the shopping centre following the tragedy. The shopping centre is operated by Scentre Group, which uses subcontractors Falkon and Glad Group. Glad chief executive Steve Iloski told the inquest that several staff had been affected by the attack and needed counselling and support from the Employee Assistance Program. Staff members have been unable to return to work at the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre following the tragedy. NewsWire / Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp Australia He said Glad was doing 'everything in our power' to get them back on their feet. 'I take that quite serious,' Mr Iloski told the court. 'Our priority is the welfare of our staff … We had counselling services, financial aid that was acquired for the staff to continue actively in life in general.' He paid tribute to security guard Mr Tahir, who was killed during his first day on the job at the shopping centre. 'That day changed lives, it took lives (in) the cruellest of circumstances,' Mr Iloski said. 'Faraz Tahir was clearly so loved by his family, friends, community, and I can confidently say that his loss …(has) been felt deeply across Glad Group and the security industry.' He also extended his thoughts to Mr Tahir's family as well as the families of the five other victims and surviving security guard Muhammad Taha. 'You were injured trying to protect others … We owe you our deepest respect and gratitude,' he said. Security guard Faraz Tahir was killed during his first day working at the shopping centre. Supplied. Credit: Supplied Mr Iloski said the tragedy had 'hit home' for him even though he wasn't present on the day. 'I really am sorry, what's happened on that day – it's heart wrenching,' he told the court. 'I've got young kids … it really hits home. As a leader, we've always taken security and safety as paramount. 'The team did the best they could, I don't think anything would've changed that day unfortunately. 'Mr Cauchi … his intent was very clear 'I'm very sorry, and we take this quite seriously.' Bondi stabbing victims (top l-r) Dawn Singleton, Ashlee Good, Cheng Yixuan, (bottom l-r) Faraz Tahir, Jade Young and Pikria Darchia. Credit: Supplied The responses and policies of Scentre and Glad have been probed at length over the course of the inquest, which entered its fifth and final week on Monday morning. This included the competency of the sole control room operator, who can only be known as CR1, rostered to the CCTV control room on the day of the attack. The court was earlier told how she failed to answer questions related to an active armed offender on a competency checklist weeks before her training was signed off in January 2024 and how she went to the bathroom 40 seconds before Cauchi stabbed his first victim, leaving the room unmonitored. Joel Cauchi stabbed 16 people, killing six, before he was shot dead. Supplied. Credit: Supplied Cauchi had attacked eight people by the time she re-entered, with all 16 people stabbed by the time another security employee (known as CR2) entered the room about 3.36pm. Security expert Scott Wilson told the court that he didn't feel CR1 performed her job adequately on the day. Public announcements were also not made until about 20 minutes after the first victim was stabbed. When they were finally made about 3.52pm, they were done from a room external to the CCTV control room, and people were unsure whether the person making them (CR1) was under duress as she sounded 'distressed and distraught', the court was told. An automated PA system had since been put in place at the shopping centre, along with a raft of other measures, the court was told. Mr Iloski told the court that the inquest has been 'very valuable', and while some of the evidence had been 'hard' for team members, scrutiny was important. mental health support
News.com.au
26-05-2025
- News.com.au
Security staff need counselling, can't return to work after Westfield Bondi Junction attack
Some security staff still require counselling and haven't been able to return to work at the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre following the 2024 stabbing rampage, an inquest has been told. Joel Cauchi stabbed 16 people and killed Dawn Singleton, Yixuan Cheng, Faraz Ahmed Tahir, Ashlee Good, Jade Young and Pikria Darchia at Westfield Bondi Junction on April 13, 2024, before he was then shot dead by police. A coronial inquest into the attack was told some security staff hadn't been able to return to work at the shopping centre following the tragedy. The shopping centre is operated by Scentre Group, which uses subcontractors Falkon and Glad Group. Glad chief executive Steve Iloski told the inquest that several staff had been affected by the attack and needed counselling and support from the Employee Assistance Program. He said Glad was doing 'everything in our power' to get them back on their feet. 'I take that quite serious,' Mr Iloski told the court. 'Our priority is the welfare of our staff … We had counselling services, financial aid that was acquired for the staff to continue actively in life in general.' He paid tribute to security guard Mr Tahir, who was killed during his first day on the job at the shopping centre. 'That day changed lives, it took lives (in) the cruellest of circumstances,' Mr Iloski said. 'Faraz Tahir was clearly so loved by his family, friends, community, and I can confidently say that his loss …(has) been felt deeply across Glad Group and the security industry.' He also extended his thoughts to Mr Tahir's family as well as the families of the five other victims and surviving security guard Muhammad Taha. 'You were injured trying to protect others … We owe you our deepest respect and gratitude,' he said. Mr Iloski said the tragedy had 'hit home' for him even though he wasn't present on the day. 'I really am sorry, what's happened on that day – it's heart wrenching,' he told the court. 'I've got young kids … it really hits home. As a leader, we've always taken security and safety as paramount. 'The team did the best they could, I don't think anything would've changed that day unfortunately. 'Mr Cauchi … his intent was very clear 'I'm very sorry, and we take this quite seriously.' The responses and policies of Scentre and Glad have been probed at length over the course of the inquest, which entered its fifth and final week on Monday morning. This included the competency of the sole control room operator, who can only be known as CR1, rostered to the CCTV control room on the day of the attack. The court was earlier told how she failed to answer questions related to an active armed offender on a competency checklist weeks before her training was signed off in January 2024 and how she went to the bathroom 40 seconds before Cauchi stabbed his first victim, leaving the room unmonitored. Cauchi had attacked eight people by the time she re-entered, with all 16 people stabbed by the time another security employee (known as CR2) entered the room about 3.36pm. Security expert Scott Wilson told the court that he didn't feel CR1 performed her job adequately on the day. Public announcements were also not made until about 20 minutes after the first victim was stabbed. When they were finally made about 3.52pm, they were done from a room external to the CCTV control room, and people were unsure whether the person making them (CR1) was under duress as she sounded 'distressed and distraught', the court was told. An automated PA system had since been put in place at the shopping centre, along with a raft of other measures, the court was told. Mr Iloski told the court that the inquest has been 'very valuable', and while some of the evidence had been 'hard' for team members, scrutiny was important.
ABC News
08-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Timeline of confusion revealed at inquest into Westfield Bondi Junction stabbings
At 3.42pm on April 13 last year, critical care paramedic Chris Wilkinson received a call about multiple stabbings at Westfield Bondi Junction. The attacker, Joel Cauchi, had been shot dead just four minutes earlier. Mr Wilkinson was based at Bankstown Airport, 33km away. But he and emergency specialist doctor Ruby Hsu got in their ambulance, activated lights and sirens, and made extraordinary time to Bondi Junction, arriving at 4.03pm. They were part of a specialist team with the expertise and training for mass casualty events like this. But as Mr Wilkinson and Dr Hsu prepared to enter the mall and assist with the 17 casualties inside, they were told to wait. CCTV footage shows Joel Cauchi running through the shopping centre. ( Supplied: Coroners Court of New South Wales ) At 4.01pm, this message had been broadcast on ambulance radio: "Intelligence reporting at this stage states that there is a second armed offender at the scene. All crews in place with patients are to remain in situ and not move until I get the all clear once I've spoken to police." There was no second attacker. But confusion and communication problems meant that senior ambulance personnel did not know this, and thought the mall was too dangerous for crews to enter. Mr Wilkinson and Dr Hsu helped treat security guard Faraz Tahir, who was so badly injured that he underwent emergency surgery as soon as he was brought out of the mall on a stretcher. Paramedic Chris Wilkinson says he felt "inadequate" when he was barred from entering the shopping centre. ( AAP: Bianca De Marchi ) Mr Wilkinson couldn't understand why waiting ambulance crews weren't entering. "Somebody with my experience of 42 years – Special Casualty Access Team, critical care paramedic – I felt inadequate being forced to stay on the outside when I thought people may be passing away on the inside," he told the inquest. "And I gathered that because I had received Mr Tahir and wondered whether there were others similar to him." 'Need to change the way we do things' The six people killed, clockwise from top left: Yixuan Cheng, Faraz Tahir, Jade Young, Pikria Darchia, Dawn Singleton and Ashlee Good. ( Supplied ) At 4.28pm, NSW Ambulance declared the mall a "hot zone" — which meant the ambulance crews already inside the mall were instructed to leave. If you or anyone you know needs help: Call triple-0 if you need immediate care Even if there was another attacker, Mr Wilkinson said that ambulance crews with appropriate training and protection should have been allowed in. He said NSW police had shifted their approach to dealing with active, armed attackers from "contain and negotiate" to "save lives". "I also think that we need to change the way we do things," Mr Wilkinson told the inquest. "For me, standing around with boots on the ground on the outside of a premises, knowing that there are people that could possibly be dying on the inside of the premises and simply not going to them because there could be a second offender, or it could be a hot zone, I don't think is good enough. Emergency services at Westfield Bondi Junction after the attack. ( AAP: Steve Markham ) " When Dawn Singleton was stabbed, she asked a bystander to ... ring an ambulance. There's an expectation that an ambulance will arrive. There's an expectation via the community and just an expectation that if you ring an ambulance, we'll come. " In her opening address, counsel assisting the inquest, Peggy Dwyer, said it was extremely unlikely that better communications would have made a difference on the day, as expert evidence was that the injuries suffered by those who died that day were not survivable — with the possible exception of security guard Faraz Tahir. "Any form of lockdown or restriction on access by first responders would obviously have the potential to compromise care and could've had a catastrophic consequence. Fortunately it did not," Dr Dwyer said. 'It gave me faith in humanity' Police Inspector Amy Scott says she wasn't the only brave person at the shopping centre that day. There is plenty to praise about the emergency response on April 13 — even beyond the actions of Inspector Amy Scott — who entered the mall within two minutes of the first radio call of an attack, and chased down and stopped Cauchi 72 seconds later. She was so conscious of not hurting anyone else that day that she didn't draw her firearm until the last possible moment, as Cauchi was running directly at her. She'd already cleared her line of fire by spotting a woman with a pram and gesturing for her to escape the possible trajectory of a bullet. As Inspector Scott noted, she wasn't the only brave person in the mall that day. "I think we as a society think that police don't feel fear, don't feel the burden and pressures of what everyday humans do, and I can assure you that they do," she said at the inquest. "I can assure you on that day that they were fearful running in, and whilst I was the person that faced Joel, those young officers ran in with the exact same intentions." She also praised the ambulance officers, the civilians who accompanied her through the mall, and the young retail workers who dealt with the crisis. "And that day, as tragic as it is, it gave me faith in humanity, restored some faith in humanity and the goodness of people," she said. Security control room empty The two operators in the shopping centre's security control room that day were not in the room when the attack started ( ABC News: Monish Nand ) But one purpose of a coronial inquest is to make recommendations about how to do things better. And there were problems in the mall that day — many of them centred around the security control room in the mall's underground car park. When Cauchi began his attack there was nobody in the Bondi Junction CCTV control room on the mall's P4 parking level. There had been two operators in the subterranean control room, but one left at 3pm to undertake training in another part of the complex, and the remaining control room operator went to the bathroom at 3.32.15pm. Cauchi's attack began 40 seconds later, and she re-entered the room one minute after that, at 3.33.55pm. Bondi Junction Inquest Counsel Assisting, Dr Peggy Dwyer, delivering the opening address on April 28. ( Supplied: Coroners Court of New South Wales ) "During that time Cauchi had attacked eight individuals, three of whom would die from their wounds," Peggy Dwyer said. "That the CCTV control room was vacant at the time of the attacks appears to have impeded [Westfield operator] Scentre's initial response … they were playing catch-up to understand what was unfolding." There was initial confusion among Scentre staff about whether police had been called, and the first call from the control room to police was long after members of the public began calling Triple-0. "The initial contact and exchange of information between the CCTV control room and emergency services occurred approximately ten minutes after the attack, about four minutes after Cauchi had been shot by Inspector Scott," Dr Dwyer said. Wrong messages given to shoppers Shoppers take shelter inside a store during the attack. ( ABC News ) The mall's emergency alarm system wasn't activated until after Cauchi had been shot, and it broadcast the wrong message. It told shoppers to "evacuate now", when it was supposed to tell them to hide from an active attacker and only escape if they could see a clear route out. Billboards in the malls should have displayed a message that said: "Attention armed offender, escape, hide, tell," but instead stated: "Attention emergency evacuation. Please evacuate the centre." An operator had hit the wrong button on a large control panel. And the automated message and alert tone that was broadcast was so loud that it impeded communications between first responders. "It was difficult to hear the radio," Inspector Scott said. " I had my radio turned up really, really loud, like as high as it can, and I still was struggling to hear what other police were communicating. " She asked for it to be turned off. The first public announcement was not made from the control room until around 3.52pm — 20 minutes after the start of the attack. Emergency services outside the shopping centre after the attack. ( ABC News ) Dr Dwyer said the witnesses in the mall recalled that the person making the announcement sounded "distressed and distraught, so much so that they weren't sure whether that person had actually been taken hostage". "There were concerns from civilian bystanders that the person might have been making the announcement under duress, and they weren't sure whether they could trust the announcement being made." The Coroner heard that the control room operator on the day had previously twice answered incorrectly when tested on the two main objectives of security in an active armed offender situation – to get people to safety and inform police. One security supervisor told the inquest that, upon reflection, "I wish we did better. I wish we did different." Watch , Mondays to Thursdays 7:30pm on and ABC TV Contact 7.30 Do you know more about this story? Get in touch with 7.30
